EDITOR’S NOTE — This has been corrected to show that Port Angeles Harbor is currently open to salmon fishing. An earlier version said it was closed to salmon fishing.
ANGLERS IN MARINE Area 9 (Admiralty Inlet) can rejoice as salmon season, at least the winter blackmouth variety, has returned.
The area reopens to salmon fishing today, with anglers able to keep hatchery chinook of a minimum 22 inches in length, with no size restriction on other salmon species.
Those fishing may keep a daily limit of two salmon, with any wild-caught chinook required to be returned.
The season runs through April 15, unless the state’s chinook guideline is reached.
Let’s hope a little of the hot blackmouth mojo that has been felt in the San Juan Island’s heads farther south.
Salmon were being landed in a good stretch through last Friday, but it appears the blackmouth bite has tapered off in the last few days.
“Blackmouth fishing was actually quite good from last Friday going back a week,” said Bob Aunspach of Swain’s General Store (360-452-2357) in Port Angeles.
“The past few days there’s just a bunch of small shakers [undersized fish that must be returned] around the Winter Hole.”
Aunspach said that’s just one of the vagaries of these winter chinook.
“That’s blackmouth fishing,” Aunspach said.
“Good for a week, then it’s off and on.”
He did mention a few keepers being caught in the farthest reaches of Marine Area 6 (Eastern Strait of Juan de Fuca).
“Sounds like there have been a few decent fish caught off of Protection Island recently,” Aunspach said.
Jigging and mooching can be attempted around the Winter Hole and off the Humps, but Aunspach said trolling is the main method for most anglers.
He mentioned coming closer to Port Angeles Harbor to try and find some fish.
“In and around the fish pens you can find some chinook,” Aunspach said.
“I think the pens bring in the bait and they come in there and feed on both.”
Steelhead success
With last weekend providing a rare period of relatively dry weather and low water conditions, anglers found steelhead success.
And it appears the wild steelhead have returned in a big way as well.
“Rivers had a good weekend,” Aunspach said.
“There were quite a few steelhead caught in all of them.”
The Sol Duc River was the standout producer, with 99 wild steelhead caught and released by 73 anglers, 24 from the bank and 49 in boats from Jan. 9-11.
Only four hatchery steelhead were hooked on the Sol Duc, with two kept.
The good weather pushed angling pressure up by a total of 340 hours from the previous week.
“That’s a catch-and-release-type river situation,” Aunspach said.
“Get yourself a picture and then put it back.”
Catch totals show high pressure and lower results on the Bogachiel/Quillayute river system.
Sixteen wild steelhead were caught and released from Jan. 9-11 by 132 anglers, 78 from the bank and 54 in boats.
Anglers caught 38 hatchery steelhead and kept 27 in the same time span.
Aunspach said Port Angeles resident Tim Allison had a big fish tale from the Queets River.
“There’s been some rumors of some steelhead in the low 20 pounds,” Aunspach said.
“A guy [Allison] here got one from the Queets he figured was 20 to 23 pounds.
“He sent it back of course, a big buck.”
Today looks like the best bet weather-wise, with a good amount of rain forecast for Saturday and the Seahawks dominating Sunday’s activities.
Boating safety class
“About Boating Safely,” a safety course that will qualify attendees for a state Boater Education Card, will be offered Saturday by the Coast Guard Auxiliary, Flotilla 42 Sequim-Port Angeles.
The class is set for the Coast Guard base on Ediz Hook in Port Angeles starting at 9:30 a.m.
A Boater Education Card is required for all boaters younger than 60.
The cost of the course is $15 per person, or $20 for a duo.
To register, phone 360-452-1135.
Duck hunting
Ohio State did well on its duck hunt in Monday’s College Football Playoff, but Ward Norden, a fishing tackle wholesaler and former fishery biologist, didn’t have the same luck when he went hunting Wednesday.
“Duck hunting was tough,” Norden said.
“A flock of fish buzzards, aka bald eagles, kept chasing the birds that were there off and have even run the huge flocks of bluebills out of the bays.
“On the bright side, maybe the ducks will keep the fish buzzards from ruining my coyote calling forays [since] they come to the same calls.”
Parks free day slated
A double dose of free admission to both state and national parks is on tap Monday in recognition of Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
Of our nation’s 405 national parks, only 133 of them charge an entrance fee, including the one in our backyard, Olympic National Park.
In our state parks system, both Monday and Tuesday are part of 12 free days, when visitors are not required to display the Discover Pass to visit a state park.
The free days were mandated in the legislation that created the Discover Pass —a $30 annual or $10 one-day permit required on state recreation lands managed by the state Parks, Fish and Wildlife and the Department of Natural Resources.
Save the date
The Puget Sound Anglers — North Olympic Peninsula Chapter’s annual fundraising auction and dinner is set for SunLand Golf & Country Club in Sequim starting at 5 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 21.
Proceeds from this auction provide the majority of funding for the annual Olympic Peninsula Kids Fishing Program held at the Sequim Water Reclamation Pond.
More information on the event will follow in future columns.
For more information about the club and the latest information about the auction/dinner visit www.psanopc.org.
Send photos, stories
Have a photograph, a fishing or hunting report, an anecdote about an outdoors experience or a tip on gear or technique?
Send it to sports@peninsuladailynews.com or P.O. Box 1330, Port Angeles, WA 98362.
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Outdoors columnist Michael Carman appears here Thursdays and Fridays. He can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 5152 or at mcarman@peninsuladailynews.com.
